Out of character thread XIX

[_Tristan_]

Battle report for the capture of Reims is up...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=255

Hope you'll like it...


[EDIT] btw... Wouldn't it be better to open a new Battle report thread ? With the number of screens in it, it takes forever to open... Which sometimes acts for me as a deterrent to edit my posts...

[OverKnight]

Opening a new thread might be a good idea.

Also, you can access your battle reports from the history, if I remembered to include them. They are in a single post format, so you wouldn't have to wait for other's people's pics to load before you can edit.

Also, you can go into into the User CP, go under Options and reduce how many posts you view on each page. You'd still have to load the pics, but it would be in smaller chunks.

[Ramses II CP]

If the Crusade ends that way, would it count as a victory for the Reich? I don't recall ever having that happen in a game before.

... I guess I should just go test it, eh?

And what would happen if the French King were captured?

Anyway, I wouldn't restrain yourself on the basis of preserving the crusade. We can get as many of the now paltry crusade mercs as we'd like first and then hit the King.

[OverKnight]

I'm leaving for the airport in about an hour, and then I'll be on my way to London. I'll be back home the night of Thursday Feb 28.

I think I've covered all my bases for KotR regarding my absence. The only exception will be that the history will not be updated.

Have fun storming the Castle everyone. Try to keep the Reich in one piece until I get back.

[econ21]

Anyway, I wouldn't restrain yourself on the basis of preserving the crusade. We can get as many of the now paltry crusade mercs as we'd like first and then hit the King.

I'm not sure I agree. Successfully completing a crusade provides big (chivalry oriented) boosts to a general's stats. In the past, we tried to to get as many generals in on the final assault as possible to maximise those gains. It would be a shame to lose those just because we can't wait a turn to kill the French king.

I think we are past the time period when crusading gives you interesting crusade mercs. The main benefits left are stats boosts, faster movement and Papal approval.

[StoneCold]

Also I believe the cancellation of a crusade will just result in a cancel mission and thus not a successful mission. So you won't gain any good traits or rewards from the pope.

[Ramses II CP]

That was my question actually. If it's a cancellation, we should clearly wait, as, if nothing else, stories of the prestige gained from the crusade would be much more interesting. I can't test it until tonight.

[econ21]

Also I believe the cancellation of a crusade will just result in a cancel mission and thus not a successful mission. So you won't gain any good traits or rewards from the pope.

That's the point I was trying to make. However, just looking at the save, I am not sure the issue is relevant to us right now. It looks like de Cervole is not able to take Caen this turn, but Ruppel could take Angiers next turn. So, we should be able to successfully complete the crusade before taking down the French king.

The issue would be relevant if we want to wait longer to complete the crusade. However, with the absence of crusading mercs, I am not sure what the benefit of delay would be. Perhaps if GH wants Ruppel to wait for him to arrive at Angiers, so his avatar can go down the chivalrous path? I certainly would like Welf to be in on the storming of Angiers.

btw... Wouldn't it be better to open a new Battle report thread ? With the number of screens in it, it takes forever to open... Which sometimes acts for me as a deterrent to edit my posts...

I am not sure opening a new thread would solve much. I think it is the number of images per page that causes the big delay in opening it. We should try to keep the number of images per page down, perhaps by splitting up battle reports into multiple posts. The default 30 posts per page. If we have 30 battles with lots of screenshots per page, it will create a lot of slowdown. 10 battles, each in three parts, per page would be more managebale.

[FactionHeir]

The only mercs available in the current period are pilgrims and flagellants I think, and the occassional fanatic and unhorsed knight over at Outremer. Crusading isn't what it used to be.

Hopefully Ramses will have arranged the save that Ruppel is siegeing Angers rather than standing next to it so we can complete it next turn with Tristan and econ in my stack if Ruppel isn't driven off by the bronze and silver stack there. His army is already heavily battered and half his army is pilgrims and militia.

[econ21]

I realise I forgot to try to teleport the Danish general, sorry. However, I gather he is a Prince, which makes it rather tricky. I think we need to know his original (pre-Prince) name before the console command will work. It may be rather painstaking to dig back into past saves and use spies to uncover that info. Perhaps we could leave him for a turn or two? (I'll be buffing up armies next turn so will have a try then.)

[gibsonsg91921]

Try to keep the Reich in one piece until I get back.

Awww, you're no fun.

[Ramses II CP]

As far as I know he came into being as a Prince. The first time I remember seeing him is when our spy was near Stockholm and the Danes had just been topped up with troops. A captain stack that came out of Stockholm got a noble added to it, and it was Stenkil (Say... 1352?).

I'm happy to run around him and go smash Stockholm, but it seems rather silly for him to just sit there. Maybe I can tempt him out with some militia troops.

[Ramses II CP]

Okay, I've tested it and killing the King does not instantly bring the crusade to a halt. However with the current save even if Tristan joins the crusade and marches to the walls of Caen (Requires ganking Welf's cavalry, which wouldn't help him any), the spy can't open the gates, so it'll be next season before the assault can be launched anyway.

I believe I can get Welf close enough to reach Anger next season by leaving behind the bombard, two companies of militia spearmen, and one company of mounted crossbows. Seems like it's worth it to me. Can't guarantee Welf won't get hit by some French though. I may use a fort to hold some of the men there.

I'm going to disband the mercs from the plague captain's army so they can be re-recruited next season. It's pointless to have them hanging around like that. The militia troops too. The rest will hang around the Rheims/Antwerp region to be irritating to the French.

Hermann Steffen needs Count Erlach's cavalry, or Count Erlach needs to join the crusade to get Hermann in. I'm assuming TC may want some of Erlach's men for the assault on Genoa, so my preference, unless Erlach shows up with an opinion, is to just send the two companies of cavalry. That'll make it difficult for Hermann to hold the bridge, but I think Genoa is more important.

Anyone else wanting in on the crusade? Anyone have something to say about this course? Plenty of time left in the offensive season, just make yourself heard.

I'd like to hear from EF about the Poles vs Stettin bit again. You're ignoring the siege, but are you going to let that army to your west go and march north for the Russians?

[TinCow]

Hermann Steffen needs Count Erlach's cavalry, or Count Erlach needs to join the crusade to get Hermann in. I'm assuming TC may want some of Erlach's men for the assault on Genoa, so my preference, unless Erlach shows up with an opinion, is to just send the two companies of cavalry. That'll make it difficult for Hermann to hold the bridge, but I think Genoa is more important.

I only glanced at Erlach's army when I was playing the save, but Lothar's is pretty decent. The only thing extra I would ask for would be some more infantry, particularly heavy infantry. Given that Lothar's army is only 2 slots from the max, you could easily give all of Erlach's army, minus two units, to Hermann. One of those two units could even be Erlach himself, since I'm almost positive that Stuperman would want Erlach to be present when Genoa is retaken. It is his County, after all. If he were around now, I would give him priority in fighting it.

[Northnovas]

This Zirn has no interest in the Crusade west. However, I may take a run at the Hungarians. A little gun shy right now and it involves another avatar. Have till Friday to decide; will advise.

[Ramses II CP]

Well, IIRC Igno is unable to play right now, so that avatar is on the way out if you don't save him.

If you have him sally you can do as much damage as possible, then pull all his men back inside the walls and exit the battle for a 'successful' sally, even if you don't drive off all the Hungarians. Then you'll be sitting next to the walls to command the defense if what's left of the Hungarians decides to make their assault.

[_Tristan_]

Doesn't the "teleport" thing work with "this" instead of the character's full name ? Like it does for traits and retinues...

[econ21]

Doesn't the "teleport" thing work with "this" instead of the character's full name ? Like it does for traits and retinues...

You mean try a command:

move_character this 199,200

It's worth a try - I'll have a look at it tonight (or anyone else can do it before then).

[_Tristan_]

You mean try a command:

move_character this 199,200

It's worth a try - I'll have a look at it tonight (or anyone else can do it before then).

Exactly what I meant... It should work... I'll give it a try...

[EDIT] Ok, that doesn't work... One, I think you need to have control of the faction to be able to select the character you want to teleport... Second even for HRE characters this doesn't work as a substitute for the name in the move_character cheat...

I hope someone can prove me wrong... FH ?Any idea ?

Oh, and the battle report for Antwerp has been updated with pics here

[FactionHeir]

I am not sure if disbanding mercs allows you to rehire them. My instinct would be that its not possible. It works for normal troops though and they get added to the region pool.

As for teleporting, you need to use the character's name. "this" only works for the give/remove commands.

Oh, and Ramses, if Ruppel gets attacked at end turn and gets no reinforcements by then, he will likely autowithdraw to Dijon. Mind sending some troops from Staufen there beforehand so he can pick them up? Some recruitment at Dijon would be great too!

[Ramses II CP]

Actually I just did the mercenaries thing at Arhus. Fritz fired all the plagued mercenaries in the captain stack and this season they all show up as recruitable, so I'm pretty sure it works. They probably get added back to the pool in the region they came from, not the region where they currently are, so I can't tell if the ribault will be available all the way out west but the crossbowmen and spearmen were recruited at Dijon, IIRC.

[FactionHeir]

Ah, good to know.
Ribault pool is for central europe, so it will be available anywhere east of Dijon and north of Milan.

[_Tristan_]

So where are we at ?

[Ramses II CP]

Following through with the requested extension for the offensive season. I know, I pushed thing pretty fast lasy week trying to build our momentum back up, but with OK out of town and all the IC developments this turn is going quite slowly. I expect we have one more major engagement, which is AG at Zagreb, and then I'll take the save, make the adjustments, and push ahead. I'm not sure how many defensive engagements we'll see, but I suspect it'll be a few.

[OverKnight]

Hi everyone, greetings from London.

I found some cheap internet access near my hotel, and I'll be checking in periodically, though I won't have the time, most likely, to update the history.

Which means, when I get back, I'll most likely be asking around about what happened so I can update accurately. Just keep in mind what your character has done since the 20th regarding battles and such. I'll also might be picking Ramses's brain at some point as well.

Awww, you're no fun.

Hey I just said keep the Reich in one piece until I get back. Shouldn't be too difficult, I hope.

[AussieGiant]

Evening chaps.

OK, have a pint for me while you're old London mate.

I'm ready to take the save. NN post doesn't have linky, so I'll dig into the uploader and have a look.

When I have it I'll make the "have save" announcement for Arnold.

[Ramses II CP]

This is the one:

http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/pbm/kotr1368-9.zip

Unless Cecil posts something in, oh, say the next 8 hours I'm going to assume he'd rather fight the defensive battle than try the sally and set it up that way for him. AG really won't have the slightest trouble with these Hungarians.

[FactionHeir]

Any plans for reinforcement?

[Ramses II CP]

This season or the next? I can get Welf closer, but there aren't any men who can make it all the way to you. I can throw up a fort near Welf, especially since he's got some slow men anyway, but no guarantees you'd be retreated to it anyway. Your best bet might be not to take Anger under siege and hope the idiot AI ignores you.

[GeneralHankerchief]

I'll have the save in a couple of hours.

Until then, this is my first M2TW bridge battle. I'm pretty well-experienced with Rome bridge battles, is it essentially the same thing? Or does anybody have any tips?